7 hours 7 photos

I haven't been able to do any walking for several weeks owing to a combination of high temperatures and the fact that this is the time of the year when I have the biggest workload, but even so I managed to get away a week or so ago at a mid-point between the "berrea" or rutting season and the onset of autumn proper.

Setting off from the village of Lamedo, near Cabezón de Liébana, I discovered to my intense annoyance that the batteries in my camera had run out, so I had to content myself with conserving the views of the Picos de Europa in the distance and the beech trees all around me as I made my way up through the woods in my retina (as they say in Spanglish).

Coming out of the woods at the top of the climb I reached a place called Portillo de Brañes, with lovely views of the nearby Sierra de Peña Sagra and the Picos farther away.

I decided to carry on upwards towards the Sierra, and later regretted it rather as it was really too warm and there was no shade. Anyway, a couple of hours later I reached the top of Mesa Berceju near the main summit of the Cornón, which I've climbed on previous excursions to this area.

On the way down I decided to give the camera one last try and ... lo and behold... somehow the batteries had recharged! I quickly took six photos of the fantastic views I had before and behind me. The moment I took the last one the camera shut down again. But still, I've got something to show:

The Picos de Europa:

Curavacas, Peña Prieta, Espigüete, Coriscao..


The Portillo de Brañes (centre-right) where I'd emerged from the woods:


Peña Labra and Tresmares on the right and the Sierra del Cordel to the left:


Cueto Cucón (the continuation of the Sierra de Peña Sagra):

and behind me the (hidden) summit of Mesa Berceju:

I made my way back down to the Portillo de Brañes in the unpleasant heat and there I decided to see if I could get lucky once again. And happily, at least I managed one photo, looking back up to Peña Sagra - the Cornón is the main peak, and Mesa Berceju the second of the two lesser ones to the right:


Thereafter the batteries gave up the ghost for good. The descent through the woods (mainly oak) wasn't as pretty as the route I'd taken that morning, so I was quite happy to get back to the car seven hours after leaving it.

The finale to the day was an incredible tailback through the Hermida gorge and at least two accidents involving cars behind me...